NEWS
Robbery suspect indicted by grand jury
Melvin Bowling
A total of 19 people received indictments out of the Montague County Grand Jury during its August session this week including a man accused of robbing a local convenience store.
District Attorney Casey Polhemus said the following charges were issued by the panel including one sealed awaiting the arrest of a suspect.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Melvin Mark Dewayne Bowling, 39, Nederland, TX, was indicted on two cases for robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon with bonds totaling $260,000.
Bowling is accused of the June 14 robbery of the Ultimate Stop, 10343 State Highway 59 south of Montague. The Montague County Sheriff’s office reported the employee was outside at the ice machine when the robber came up behind her wearing a skeleton mask on his face.
He reportedly told the female clerk he was there to rob the store and he had a weapon, which she says she did not see. The man left with cash he had placed in a tool bag as he drove north.
Read the full story on the panel’s August indictment slate in the weekend News.
The Bowie City Council has moved its Nov. 18 meeting to 6 p.m. on Nov. 19 where three new council members will take the oath of office.
Councilors include Laura Sproles, precinct two, Brandon Walker, precinct one and Laramie Truax, precinct two. After the votes are canvassed and the oaths given, a mayor pro tem will be selected.
The new members will jump right into training as City Attorney Courtney Goodman-Morris provides an orientation and discussion of duties for council members.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his monthly report on the following topics: Nelson Street, which opened last Thursday, update on the sewer line replacement project, substation transformer placement and information on medical companies.
A closed executive session on the Laura McCarn vs. City of Bowie lawsuit is scheduled. The suit arose in November 2022 when the city broached selling some 25 acres it owns on Lake Amon G. Carter, originally part of the land purchased for the 500-acre Bowie Reservoir completed in 1985.
McCarn challenges the ownership of the property stating it should revert to the original owners since it was not used for the lake.
This 24.35 acre tract is located at the end of Indian Trail Road surrounded by the lake and the Silver Lakes Ranch subdivision.
One of Bowie’s major thoroughfares, Nelson Street, was reopened Thursday after one busy block has been closed since August 2021 when a section of the street failed.
Construction finally came to an end on Thursday when the street, including the Nelson and Mill intersection were reopened. Mayor Gaylynn Burris, City Manager Bert Cunningham, Councilors TJay McEwen and Stephanie Post, Engineer Mike Tibbetts and Public Works Director Stony Lowrance met at the site Thursday morning and removed the barricades. It only took a few minutes for vehicles to start arriving and drivers were excited to go through on the new roadway.
This section of Bowie has endured flooding and drainage problems for many years and in the summer of 2023 the city council finally bit the bullet and sought bids for the repair work expected to top $3 million. In August 2021 a one block section of Nelson was closed when a large sinkhole appeared on the north side of the street. Traffic had to be diverted including all the school traffic flowing from the nearby junior high and intermediate.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – (Left) Mike Tibbetts, engineer with Hayter Engineering, talks with Bowie City Manager Bert Cunningham as they look over the massive drainage project on Nelson Street.
Three newly elected Nocona City councilors took the oath of office this week.
Chuck Hittle, Chris Nunneley and Yesika Rodriguez began their work on the council this week. Robert Fuller also was elected as the mayor pro tem.
Outgoing councilor Taylor Ross was presented with a plaque thanking him for his service on the panel.
A series of five Nocona Economic Development Corporation requests were approved. The first three were on their second approval following the countdown of the 60-day clock following the initial request.
Read full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Pictured: Incumbent Councilors Yesika Rodriguez and Chris Nunneley and new member Chuck Hittle took the oath of office Tuesday for the Nocona City Council. (Courtesy photo)
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